the red head and the marine
by lovetoread134
Summary: this is Gibbs life with Shannon's cousin Ava and theirs life at ncis/a little mention of Shannon and Gibbs togetherness GIBBS/OC
1. Chapter 1

Ava Claire Browning Gibbs sat on the sofa in her VERY new house a glass of bourbon in her right hand a pen in the other

staring down at the devorce papers she had yet to sign. Her husband Leroy Jethro Gibbs has yet to sign them ether for the

devorce was her idea complete and to the fact he doesn't know yet. Ava sighed while bringing the glass to her lips and

gulping down the ember substance pulling a face as it burns down her throat, but relaxes when it settle warmly it her

stomach . As she pour herself another drink she thinks back to how she got here.

It had started when they were children as they chased each other around the playground.

_''AVA stop running'' a little nine-year old Gibbs yelled from way behind her._

_''NO'' a little seven-year old Ava yelling back in defiance pushing her legs to go faster after all she was the fastest in there_

_class._

_''Why are you running from me'' Gibbs asked in a yell._

_''Why are you chasing me'' Ava shot back not slowing down._

_''Because I love you'' Gibbs yelled._

_ Those four words stopped more like skidded Ava in her tracks. She slowly turned around stunned. I mean no one ever said that_

_to her then again she was only seven. Ava concluded that them being so young and having basically no idea what love is she must have_

_heard him wrong._

_ ''What'' she finally ask_

_''I love you'' he said walking up to me._

_''You don't know what love is'' she replied looking down at her feet._

_ he stepped closer to me and moved a curly red strand of hair behind my ear all the while tilting my head up so I was face_

_to face with him. And as I look into his crystal blue eyes I can't help but wonder what he sees as he searches my face._

_''No maybe not'' he say ''but I'm starting to'' he finishes and leans in to kiss me. _

Ava snaps out of her trip down memory to the sound of the front door opening and closing heavy footstep indicate her soon to be ex husband is home.

She stands up in a stance that infers she means business. Which is shoulders squared her body erected and hands interlocked in front of her.

Ava waits as she hears him shuffle around in the hallway calling out his usual ''v you here''

But she does not answer him instead waiting for him to come into the living room and as he does I assume he takes how I look and says

''Ava what's going on''

''We need to talk'' is all I answer back


	2. Chapter 2

Ava waits as she hears him shuffle around in the hallway calling out his usual ''V you here''

****She does not answer. Instead of the usual greeting, he studies my facial expression and asks what's going on.

"Ava, what's going on?" Jethro asks.

''We need to talk." I answered.

"About what?" Leroy inquires.

"Have a seat." I suggest**_. _**

Leroy does, with some resistance, unsure of where I'm taking this conversation. He just left work, because he's wearing blue jeans and his work shirt with Jackson Gibbs' store logo on the back.

''What's this about ? '' He wonders aloud.

''I'm divorcing you, Leroy.'' I tell him plainly and without hesitation.

The look that crosses his face is unforgettable . It was one of shock, anger, and hurt all rolled in one.

''What?'' He said after a few minutes of silence.

I said slowly, with clear enunciation, 'I…am…divorcing you.'

''Why?'' He ask.

''The papers are right there.'' I reply pointing to where they now lay on the coffee table as well as deflecting his question.

He picks them up scanning the contents quickly.

''How long have you been planning this?'' He questions sadly.

_I take a moment before answering him to think what a selfish bastard he really is. _Yes,_ we are getting divorced, but _I _wasn't the one sleeping with my cousin! _He does not _have the right to be upset._

''I don't know.'' I finally said. ''How long have you been sleeping with Shannon?''

As those last few words left my mouth, his face went deadly pale.

He opened his mouth to speak but seconds later declined to speak**. **

''Who told you?'' he asks.

''No one. I found out on my own.'' I answered back.

He nodded.

''Was our lovemaking really so bad…'' I inquire after a moment or two, "…that you had to seek comfort with my cousin?''

"Of course not!" He quickly said, leaving the sofa and walking toward me.

"_Then, what was it?" I wanted the truth. He stopped and stood face-to-face. I wanted to know. _

_"I…well, Shannon and I…" Leroy's voice trailed off, unable to finish the sentence, the one I never imagined to hear from him._

My eyes water at that because after everything he did he couldn't even muster up a good excuse for his actions.

I held the tears, thinking after everything, Leroy couldn't muster an explanation for his actions.

"Hey…" He placed a hand on my cheek once seeing my reaction and wiped a falling tear as an attempt to comfort me.

"No!" I pushed him away, walking swiftly to the coffee table. With pen in hand, I bent down and immediately signed the divorce papers.

I straightened up, only to find him looking at me with surprise.

"Now…it's your turn."

"No!" Leroy said. Again, he repeated "No.".

"What?!" I was stunned.

''I said no'' He repeats firmly.


	3. Chapter 3

"No!?" She paced the floor, shook her head in exasperation and disbelief. Throughout the day she listened to Aretha Franklin, repeated the song popped in her mind:

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You to prepare for their confrontation. Instead of continuing loving him, as the song suggested—to forgive and forget—Ava was done!

"Should I say Semper I or Semper Sometimes?" Ava reminded Leroy to a derivative to the motto, Semper Fidelis—Always Faithful-addressing the self-centered attitude.

"Ava…? It just happened. I never meant to hurt you."

"Oh, it just happened..." She mocked the tone. The pitiful excuse initiated her eloquent response. "Honor, courage and commitment: you're damn right: it just happened!

I loved you. It just happened…we promised to God and in front of others to forsake all others…It just happened, of all people, that the man I married violated my trust.

It just happened." Ava stopped. Expressing her disappointment, her pain did not help.

"I can't trust you." She wept openly, her pain echoed throughout the living room. "You're a liar, and you're a cheat. You violated every commitment to the Corps and me!"

''I know'' Leroy said looking at the floor his shoulders shagging in defeat then suddenly looking back up as if remembering something.

''On our wedding night I told you that I would protect you from anyone and everyone including myself'' He said simply and with sad eyes.

''That's right you did'' I replied crossing my looked at me then at the table where the divorce papers lay as if mentally debating his next step.I guess he

made up his mind because a moment later he walked up to me took the pen,that I still had,out of my hand and bent down to sign his name to the divore papers.

As he stood back up he said ''I love you always have always will and its because i love you that I'm letting you go''

''Thank you'' I whispered walking up to him and kissing his cheek.I pull back to notice that he wasn't looking at me but the wall behind me with tears in his eyes

I move away from from him to grab my set of divorce papers and my bags when I a tug on my arm and his lips on mine. When we pull back from are long passionate kiss

I quickly grab my stuff and head for the door leaving everything I cared for behind me


End file.
